This disclosure relates generally to test equipment for nondestructive evaluation systems, and more specifically, to ultrasonic inspection devices for the inspection of parts.
As newer materials, such as composite materials, are used in more applications throughout the aircraft industry and other industries, the use of nondestructive test equipment, such as ultrasonic test equipment, to inspect fabricated parts prior to use has become widespread. Ultrasonic test equipment allows an operator to nondestructively inspect the interior of parts, such as fuselage or wing components, for areas of discontinuity such as structural inconsistencies, imperfections, delaminations, and foreign objects introduced during fabrication to name a few.
Ultrasonic test equipment utilizes a high frequency sound wave generated by an ultrasonic transducer, sometimes referred to as a probe, which is located near the surface of the part being tested. The ultrasonic transducer is oriented such that the high frequency sound wave travels through the part, usually in the height or thickness direction. When the sound wave encounters a discontinuity, such as a delamination, or a change in the stiffness of the material, part of the sound energy is reflected. The reflected sound energy travels back through the part and is received by the same ultrasonic transducer, which acts as both a transmitter and receiver in what is commonly referred to as a “pulse echo” ultrasonic test system. Alternatively, the high frequency sound wave generated by the ultrasonic transmitter passes through the entire thickness of the part and is received on the opposite side of the part by a separate receiver in what is commonly known as “through transmission” ultrasonic testing.
The waveform of the received signal from an ultrasonic test is recorded by the test equipment and/or displayed on a monitor or other display device. The data contained in the signal can be displayed in a number of different formats for review by technicians.
In some known ultrasonic inspection devices, a customized part holder is designed for the unique angles and dimensions of each part. The customized part holder is used to hold the part during the inspection process. The fabrication and/or use of multiple part holders may increase the inspection time of the variety of parts. As a result, the efficiency of the inspection process is reduced which may increase the overall cost of inspecting a variety of differently shaped parts.